Mikkel Elle Lepperød, Ph.D.

Research Scientist, Simula Research Laboratory
Group Leader, bioAI Research Group

• Date of Birth: 14.09.1985
• Sex: Male
• Nationality: Norwegian
• ORCID: 0000-0002-4262-5549
• Websites:
  • Simula Research Laboratory Profile
  • Google Scholar

Summary

Research scientist and technical leader combining deep technical expertise with proven ability to rapidly master and innovate with new technologies. Track record of building novel technical solutions from scratch, including full-stack research platforms and AI systems. Experience spans cutting-edge AI research, hands-on development, and building and leading technical teams of multi-million NOK portfolios. Strong focus on bridging biological and artificial intelligence systems.

Professional Experience

Research Scientist & Group Leader, Simula Research Laboratory (2022 – Present)

• Co-founded and led bioAI research group of 11 researchers (1 postdoc, 10 PhD students)
• Managed research portfolio of ~4.5 MNOK/year
• Developed novel bio-inspired AI architectures and machine-learning models

Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Oslo (2023 – Present)

• Led NeuroAI research initiatives and education program

Researcher & Project Lead, University of Oslo (2022 – 2023)

• Co-led 16 MNOK Neuro-AI projects as Acting Co-Principal Investigator

Postdoctoral fellow, University of Oslo (2020 – 2022)

Technical Skills

Programming: Expert: Python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, PyTorch), Intermediate: C++, R

AI/ML: Expert: Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Causal Inference

Development: Expert: Git, Intermediate: Docker, CI/CD, AWS, Linux

Data Science: Expert: Statistical Analysis, Data Management, Signal Processing

Leadership: Team Management, Project Management, Technical Leadership

Key Achievements

• Co-established NeuroAI as a strategic focus area in Norway
• Published in top neurosceince and ML/AI conferences and journals
• Led technical workshops on Neuro-inspired AI and crossdisciplinary workshops on ethics in AI
• Selected member of Simula’s AI Task Force (2024)

Education

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of Oslo (2020)
• M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (2014)
• Executive Education, Wharton School of Business (2022)

Selected Projects

• Deep learning for drug discovery using heart-on-a-chip technology
• Bio-inspired AI architectures for spatial navigation
• Large-scale neural network simulations
• Causal discovery and inference for connectivity reconstruction
• Designed and built a complete research platform integrating analysis tools and pipelines for neural data processing, real-time experimental control, and data acquisition systems
• Established coding standards and best practices adopted across research groups
• Implemented cutting-edge AI architectures from recent literature as personal research projects
• Developed custom embedded systems for home automation (IoT plant watering system and furniture control)